Pros/Cons of buying a CT (mostly fiscally related)

[John K]

If you ever had a dead pixel or a line show in a screen… I would have to throw away the truck.

besides wear parts, I believe these plastic and part types have a higher likelihood in needing to be replace as say, rust repair.

I will also moan when time to replace the airbag suspension. Because, when the reoccurring maintenance, oil changes, are not needed, those larger ticket maintenance sneaks up on you.

”what, it has been 80k miles already, yesterday it was 1,000.”

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[HaulingAss]

Let me know what you think!

purchase price

- Living in Colorado, the dual motor is a must for the AWD. As it is, the pricing is at the absolute ceiling of what I can spend/afford (actually a good chunk over...) I have my fingers crossed that Tesla keeps the pricing the same as any increase puts my ability to purchase in serious jeopardy. From what I have read here, it seems Tesla has historically kept the prices the same once announcing them so here’s to hoping!

If you want to make sure the price doesn't change, put in your reservation ASAP. While it's not legally binding, Tesla has never changed the price on a vehicle that was already reserved at a given price once the reserved configuration was available.

- I am actually happy that production has been delayed as it gives me time to build up a CT fund. I have started “making payments” to a dedicated savings account so that when the time does come, my monthly payments will be more manageable.

This is smart and it helps lower the total cost of ownership more than most people realize. The more you save up, the better.

- Wear & tear (tires, batteries, etc.): seems this will be a big one as a) the tires are pretty big and b) I’ve learned Tesla’s (and Tesla drivers) are pretty hard on tires as it is… further, I don’t think a regular set of highway tread is gonna look right so one would have to stick with something that is at least hiway and off road..

I would suggest you buy the tires for the required use, not how they look. Tires can dramatically change the driving characteristics of any vehicle and are one of the most important components in terms of performance, towing capability, noise, range and efficiency, etc, far too important to pick them based on looks. I'm of the mind that the tire that is the most suitable for the way the truck is actually used are going to look good and offer superior performance, the lowest cost of ownership. It also sends an important message about you. If you use the truck for work you will not impress your clients if you show up to bid the job with expensive, inefficient tires that are obviously just to look macho. And if you work for someone else, suitable tires send the message to your boss that you are a no-nonsense guy who knows his sh!t. Tires matter too much to pick them for the superficial quality of aesthetics. You're not buying a toy, you're buying a truck!

As for the batteries, replacement seems like it will be over $10k but that shouldn’t happen for a long, long (hopefully long!) time…

True, worrying about battery replacement would be no more sensible than worrying about how much it's going to cost you to rebuild the engine and tranny of a gas truck at 200K. It should go at least twice that or more.

- Damage/repair: this has me worried… Currently, it seems most roads lead through Tesla here (something breaks, you gotta go to Tesla) but I would guess options will begin to exist as electric becomes more mainstream. I did see an instance where an alternative is already available (something about a battery going bad and some place was able to fix it for a fraction of what Tesla wanted).) Also, I’m really nervous about what a replacement windshield will cost as we sure do have a Lot of flying rocks on the highways here in Colorado…. I know it’s supposed to be super strong but until I have experience with that I’m not optimistic about what Tesla would charge to replace a windshield…

Tesla is not saying the windshield is going to be tough just to get brownie points, they are trying to solve a problem, that of frequent windshield damage. They are doing this because they know it costs the truck owners time and money to replace broken glass and it happens all too frequently.

As for Tesla Service, we've owned 2 Model 3's for 3 years and Tesla service has been great, no other car brand's service network can compare in our experience. They even replaced my 12V battery for free as a preventive measure after 2 years when I had no idea there was anything wrong with it. This is when I took my car in to get the latest Self-Driving Computer Upgrade for free. I think the only thing they've ever charged either of for in 3 years is install and mount/balance of new tires or winter tires and the price was very reasonable.

While not everyone has only positive service experiences no matter which brand, I think Tesla does a noticeably better job than most all dealerships (I'm sure there are a few exceptions to the rule). And my sense is there are some Tesla haters out there that just make stuff up, more with Tesla than other brands.

Positives

- Let’s start with the obvious, don’t have to buy gas (but have learned charging isn’t exactly free…)

- Read that EVs are supposed to last from 750,000-1,000,000 miles so if all goes according to plan, this offsets some of the purchase price

- EVs have fewer moving parts to fail (alternators, transmissions, fuel pumps, etc.) so again, offsetting the purchase price

- sports car performance in a truck? Yes please!

- no paint to worry about



So like, I said, that's what I've pieced together so far. I’d love to hear any thoughts you might be able to add.

I think your expectations are pretty realistic except I don't know if I would expect to get a .75 to 1 million miles without considerable expense. Not nearly as much as an ICE vehicle would require but it would be safer to plan on 500K, maybe a bit less if using like a truck on bad roads, towing, etc.. Anything after that could just be thought of as a bonus.

 

[John K]

I would suggest you buy the tires for the required use, not how they look. Tires can dramatically change the driving characteristics of any vehicle and are one of the most important components in terms of performance, towing capability, noise, range and efficiency, etc, far too important to pick them based on looks.

Agree wholeheartedly. My CT will have the ugliest commuter tire with some street handling characteristics. I only care about the inside looking out and I can differentiate if I park within a sea of CTs.

 

[Crissa]

Yeah, I'll have a chest with my winter/offroad tires as need be. I already have a set for my car. You baby them, you can get them to keep pretty well in storage. And who wants to wear down the nubs on their offroad tires prematurely?

And yes, the armor glass actually came from the Semi project, to reduce pitting on commercial windscreens. Notice this article is a year before the Cybertruck was announced.
https://insideevs.com/news/336688/check-out-the-new-tesla-semi-armor-glass-breakthrough/

-Crissa

 

[MEDICALJMP]

Regarding battery longevity, how many people do you know that have even put 200,000 miles on a car?

Almost that with this car. Did that and well plus the last two cars.
These 4680 batteries are supposed to be the fabled “million mile batteries “ so planning on this being my last vehicle.

 

[MEDICALJMP]

[8245"]
I think your expectations are pretty realistic except I don't know if I would expect to get a .75 to 1 million miles without considerable expense. Not nearly as much as an ICE vehicle would require but it would be safer to plan on 500K, maybe a bit less if using like a truck on bad roads, towing, etc.. Anything after that could just be thought of as a bonus.
[/QUOTE]


I know of a number of vehicles that have done 1 million plus miles. At least one Volvo and a couple Toyota’s with over 3 million miles. Basic maintenance and the rare replacement part.

 

[CyberGus]

The battery pack has a 10-year warranty I believe, so there should be no worries for at least that long.

The pack will slowly lose capacity with each discharge cycle; the new 4680 cells are expected to last enough cycles to get 1M miles-ish. Of course, you'll go half the distance towing a trailer, but that's still a full discharge cycle, so "your milage may vary".

The big problem with the pack is total failure. A single cell (out of 1000+) failing should not disable the pack, but several might. When that happens, the whole pack must be replaced since it cannot be simply disassembled and repaired. There are Model S packs hitting the 10-year mark now, and they sometimes get slapped with a $10k-$20k repair bill.

Fortunately, we won't need to worry about this for at least 10 years, and battery prices should be lower by then. But just because the pack has the capacity to reach 1M miles does not make it immune from failure.

 

[HaulingAss]

[8245"]

I know of a number of vehicles that have done 1 million plus miles. At least one Volvo and a couple Toyota’s with over 3 million miles. Basic maintenance and the rare replacement part.

Yes, environmental and driving conditions play a HUGE role in how long a vehicle lasts. I like to go with typical averages as a normal ICE car, even a Volvo or Toyota starts to need things like ball jounts, tie rods, shocks, oil seals, mufflers, catalytic converters, etc. etc. etc. at around 200,000 miles. But a few can go a lot longer since it's so dependent upon the use case. In the 1960's-1970's the rule of thumb was that by 100,000-150,000 miles the car is pretty much sacked out and not worth much money but modern cars have longer average lifespans.

EV's avoid many of the large expenses gas cars risk needing. For example, Our 2000 Volvo S80 T6 was a great car that was dealership serviced on the factory schedule. We had it 18 years and it ran and looked like a nearly new car the entire time. But at 85K miles it needed a new transmission and new twin turbos. It wasn't cheap. But it saw a lot of time at higher speeds including some desert crossings in 100 degree heat at over 100 mph. And some washboard desert roads at 60 mph (where the washboards would smooth out). So it had a hard life. You're not going to make a Volvo go 500,000 miles driving it like that! And the Volvo transmission was manufacturered by GM! No wonder it failed! I think the twin turbos were made in Japan. I think the turbos wouldn't have failed if I hadn't driven it hard and parked it hot. But what are you going to do? Drive around for 10 minutes to cool it down? It's a mechanical device, things are going to fail and they are going to fail sooner if you don't baby it at all times.

And I wasn't trying to say by 500,000 miles the car would necessarily be completely sacked out but the owner will likely have to put increasingly larger amounts of time/money into it to keep it going. Cause ball joints, shocks, bearings, etc. can all wear out, especially if used at higher speeds, at higher temperatures and in more abrasive or corrosive environments.

But put vehicle life in perspective. The average driver drives 12,500 miles/year. So 500,000 miles is 40 years! I think most Cybertruck batteries will be long past their useful life at 40 years! On the otherhand, if you drive 100,000 miles a year I bet the battery would still be going strong after 5 years and 500,000 miles.

 

[HaulingAss]

Yeah, I'll have a chest with my winter/offroad tires as need be. I already have a set for my car. You baby them, you can get them to keep pretty well in storage. And who wants to wear down the nubs on their offroad tires prematurely?

That would be one big "chest"! I use a wall-mounted tire rack that's super convenient. Just lag bolt it into the studs. You can still park motorcycles underneath it.

 

[la10slgr]

A note about charging: it is typically half or a quarter the cost of gas.
In Colorado specifically, comparing to a 30MPG car: Average Gas cost is $3.15/gal, you could drive about 850miles for $100.
Electricity is $0.13/Kwh the CT-Tri will use about will drive about 465WH per mile and will drive about 1650 miles for $100
A model 3/y would go about 3000 miles for $100

This!! This is good information right here!! I've seen enough during my meanderings to learn that even though charging is MUCH cheaper than gas, it isn't free. Thank you for providing the Colorado specifics. I already have solar on my house (25 panels) so I would think it is logical to factor that cost down even more.

 

[Jamessmooth007]

Insurance: general consensus seems to be no one really knows yet but overall thoughts are it shouldn’t be dramatically different than something similarly priced

Similarly price tooooo... other vehicles on the road made from Steel? Here in lies the problem with insurance, which is my number one concern. We don't even have an idea of what it might be. We do know that CT will have crumple zones (hasn't been formally stated, but c'mon, right?). So, what will repairs on this thing be like? Will it be easy to take apart the frunk, for example? If you get hit on the drivers side, what will replacing a door with no handles be like on steel? Of course, these are the negatives of being an early adopter. I'm sure costs will go down with time.
My second concern is timeline. We can infer anything we want, but really no one knows. It wouldn't surprise me if first CTs were on the road next summer, but it also wouldn't surprise me if we didn't see them until 2023.

I am actually happy that production has been delayed as it gives me time to build up a CT fund. I have started “making payments” to a dedicated savings account so that when the time does come, my monthly payments will be more manageable.

Don't put that juju out there man! Some of us want them NOWWWWW.
great idea making "payments" to a savings account. Wonderful idea!

As for positives, well... that list is long and I ain't got time for that But here are a few of mine:
-500+ miles of range (this to me is a necessity if you're using the truck for any type of heavy loads or towing - I'm concerned with the range of the dual motor version for these activities)
-Never having to gas up again
-Utility (I view CT as a swiss army knife)
-Value (I don't need a truck, but if Elon delivers on what he's promised, I think anyone looking for a Car or truck or SUV should consider a CT. The value is almost too good to be true).

 

[Tinker71]

Did you guys see the article about service cost actually being higher for EVs during the first year? I skimmed it and filed it as mostly pro ICE crap, but they said that lubing brakes was actually required periodically due to lack of use, which required a certain amount of labor every xx months.

I find that hard to believe since there is less heat and brake dust. Is there any truth to this?

 

[Halemarine]

A note about charging: it is typically half or a quarter the cost of gas.
In Colorado specifically, comparing to a 30MPG car: Average Gas cost is $3.15/gal, you could drive about 850miles for $100.
Electricity is $0.13/Kwh the CT-Tri will use about will drive about 465WH per mile and will drive about 1650 miles for $100
A model 3/y would go about 3000 miles for $100

I have driven 5 around trips from Warsaw Virginia to Lauderdale by the sea in Florida. 965 miles each way with average of $41.00 in Super Charging costs.

 

[Crissa]

That would be one big "chest"! I use a wall-mounted tire rack that's super convenient. Just lag bolt it into the studs. You can still park motorcycles underneath it.

Well, it fits the bicycles, too.

There are no 'studs' to mount anything in my parking cut-out.

-Crissa

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